Key Facts

• Jenni Hicks testified as a Hillsborough justice campaigner.
• Hicks described the tragic events of April 15, 1989, where she lost two daughters in the Hillsborough disaster.
• It took 23 years for families to receive truth from the Hillsborough Independent Panel and another four years for correct inquest verdicts.
• Jenni Hicks experienced a lack of support from authorities after the Hillsborough disaster.
• It took 23 years to have transparency about what happened at Hillsborough in 2012.
• The Hillsborough Independent Panel provided necessary documentation and evidence leading to truth and correct verdicts.
• Jenni Hicks experienced a significant lack of funding compared to the opposing side during the inquest, with her family paying £3,500 for a junior barrister while the other side had 12 top QCs and their teams.
• The Hillsborough families received death certificates stating "accidental death" initially but later reissued ones stating "unlawfully killed" after a 23-year wait.
• Hicks emphasizes that an independent advocate should be immediately available to prevent cover-ups and provide essential support.
• Kimia Zabihyan is a volunteer and member of Grenfell Next of Kin.
• The majority (85%) of those who died in the Grenfell Tower tragedy were black and brown people, many of whom were recent migrants.
• There was initially reluctance to discuss race in relation to the disaster.
• Kimia Zabihyan has been acting as a pro bono public advocate for six years.
• The current proposal allows Ministers to appoint, set terms of reference, arrange remuneration, and dismiss the public advocate.
• An independent advocate needs power to make policy interventions at ministerial level.
• Sophie Cartwright KC, a barrister at Deans Court Chambers, testified.
• Legal aid for victims of major incidents should be non-means-tested to ensure access to necessary advice and support.
• The IPA is not intended to provide legal activity but rather to offer guidance in a daunting landscape.
• The IPA is not meant to be a legal advocate but provides support as deemed appropriate.
• There will likely be delays due to the process of appointing an IPA after major incidents occur.
• Cartwright suggests having someone already in post with a trauma focus and psychological expertise.
• Sophie Cartwright discusses the IPA's function and effectiveness.
• IPA was initially proposed to help victims like those affected by Hillsborough tragedy.
• The speaker suggests that an existing IPA could have assisted Manchester Arena bombing victims.
• Edward Leigh thanked Ms Cartwright for her detailed analysis of the Bill's implications.
• The session was ordered adjourned for further consideration.